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Mobility revolution.

At Mercedes-Benz, "Intelligent Drive" stands for the networking of systems, sensors and algorithms for enhanced comfort and safety. The drive system also benefits from the increasing level of intelligence on board vehicles. Following on from the Mercedes-Benz S-Class PLUG-IN HYBRID, the new Mercedes-Benz C 350 e provides further, impressive evidence of how dynamism and efficiency can fuse together. The forward-looking operating strategy opens up a new dimension in motoring. And the autonomously driving research car F 015 Luxury in Motion heralds a revolution in mobility, showing what form "Intelligent Drive" might take in the future.

Intelligent operating strategy .

A large number of new systems and sensors are making Mercedes-Benz vehicles even more comfortable, even safer, and at the same time even more efficient and even more dynamic - for the intelligent operating strategy at work in the background in the new plug-in hybrids automatically controls and delivers the ideal interaction between the combustion engine and the electric motor. The strategy not only adapts to the battery's charge status, but also anticipates the traffic and the road ahead. The enhanced vehicle sensing technology featuring multi-stage radar sensors and enhanced cameras is employed for this purpose. Intelligent innovations such as the so-called haptic accelerator pedal additionally help the driver to save fuel in certain driving situations.

Hybrid offensive.

"Every Mercedes-Benz already incorporates a great deal of intelligence. Thanks to the anticipatory operating strategy, for instance, the efficiency of the plug-in hybrids has been noticeably boosted," comments Prof. Herbert Kohler, Head of Group Research & Sustainability at Daimler AG. Mercedes-Benz will be launching ten new plug-in hybrid models in the period up to 2017 - i.e. one new model with this high-tech hybrid drive every four months on average. After the successful launch of the S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID, the C 350 e - the second model to feature the progressive drive concept - is already out with the dealers. And what might happen next with the strategic hybrid initiative has been demonstrated by the Concept V-ision e study at the Geneva Motor Show.This plug-in hybrid system is based on the company's modular parallel hybrid system. The common system-specific feature is the additional clutch integrated between the combustion engine and the electric motor. On the one hand this decouples the combustion engine during purely electric operation, while on the other it allows the vehicle to use the combustion engine to move off, drawing on the performance of a wet start-up clutch.

"Intelligent Drive" today …

Thanks to "Intelligent Drive", vehicles from Mercedes-Benz can already identify many hazardous situations in road traffic and react appropriately to the situation today. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST, for example, is part of the standard specification, for the A-Class right up to the S-Class. This radar-based assistance system warns the driver when a risk of collision arises. And the enhanced COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS, which is being launched across all model series, can even brake autonomously: if the driver fails to act when a risk of collision is detected, despite the warning lamp in the instrument cluster and the intermittent acoustic alert, the system will automatically trigger braking.In addition to this, from the C-Class through to the S-Class, there are already many current Mercedes-Benz models driving semi-autonomously on public roads, equipped with features such as DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and the Stop&Go Pilot semi-autonomous traffic jam vehicle following function. Active Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC allows automatic parking of the vehicle, into both kerbside and car park spaces, through active steering and braking intervention.

… and tomorrow.

With its autonomously driving research vehicle F 015 Luxury in Motion, Mercedes-Benz provides an idea of what form "Intelligent Drive" might take in the future.The car's role is evolving from merely a means of transport towards that of a comfortable retreat, too.Drivers can choose at any time whether they wish to drive themselves, with the aid of intelligent systems or whether the car is to take them to their destination in autonomous mode. To make this possible, six high-resolution displays have been tastefully integrated into the instrument panel, as well as the rear and side walls. This allows passengers, by way of eye-tracking, gestures or touching the screen, to find out what's going on around them, enjoy one of the entertainment options, take part in a video conference or download a virtual world to where they are sitting in the vehicle. The innovative interior concept is centred around a variable seating system with four pivoting lounge chairs. A vis-à-vis seating configuration allows everyone on board to talk to each other face-to-face and to enjoy their mobile living environment while they travel. Time spent in the car thus acquires a totally new quality, as a result of the freedom to concern oneself with matters other than steering, accelerating and braking.